


whilst memories remain, we cannot die

by Fezzik37



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, Mental Health Issues, Sasuke is not okay, naruto is a ball of sunshine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:14:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29768469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fezzik37/pseuds/Fezzik37
Summary: Shisui can't really be gone, Sasuke reasons, not when there's someone so similar to him running around.—Or, in which Sasuke thinks Naruto is like Shisui, and is determined to figure out why.
Relationships: Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke & Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto
Kudos: 11





	whilst memories remain, we cannot die

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is something I wrote with no plan, and it took on a life of its own. Basically, Sasuke adored his cousin Shisui, and isn't coping well with the Massacre. He runs into Naruto, and ends up projecting his various memories of Shisui onto Naruto. I've always thought of Shisui and Naruto as two peas in a pod, and this fic kinda exemplifies that thought. Does Sasuke need *all the therapy*? Yes. Is this healthy? *Absolutely not*. But again, Sasuke is young, he's just seen his clan murdered, and in his own awkward way, he's attaching himself to the most familiar thing he can find, which in this case is Naruto, who reminds him of Shisui.

A lone boy crashed through the underbrush, uncaring of the racket he was making. His lungs burned, and his legs felt as if they’d collapse any second. Only one thing was on his mind: _run_. “Ready or not, here I come!” came the shout, and Uchiha Sasuke ducked behind a tree, breathing hard. As stealthily as he could, he began to scale the tree’s sturdy limbs, hoping to hide in the full, leafy canopy. He threw numerous pebbles he’d picked up in another direction, hoping to mislead his pursuer. His efforts were in vain, however, as a voice sounded next to him.

“~Boo!~” Sasuke whirled, losing his balance, and plummeted towards the forest floor. Based on his cousin’s expression, Shisui was cursing, but the wind whipping in his ears ripped away any sounds Shisui might’ve said. Sasuke braced himself for landing, but it never came. Two strong arms encircled him, and he looked up to see his brother, Itachi. “Oni-san!” Itachi smiled wanly, and Sasuke noticed he was still in his ANBU gear, likely heading home after a late-night guard shift. “I see the two of you have been having fun,” Itachi said, sending a glare at Shisui. Shisui’s arms flew up in mock surrender, and he grinned down at them. “I woulda caught him in a second or two, ‘Tachi. Lighten up a little, yeah?” Itachi glared harder. “All right, all right. I’m terribly sorry for encouraging Sasuke to have fun and play games.”

“I’m okay, Oni-san. Don’t be mad at Shisui!” Faced with Sasuke’s puppy dog eyes, Itachi caved. Shisui often joked that if one could replicate the effects of Sasuke’s pleading looks, they could get Itachi to do anything for them. “Fine. Now, how was your day at the academy?” Sasuke lit up, chattering away about how well he’d done in shuriken practice that day and how history is really boring, oni-san, why do I have to learn it again? Itachi nodded along, making the occasional interested noise. Shisui followed the brothers at a more sedate pace, occasionally interrupting with comments of his own—a steady, joyful presence at their backs.

Sasuke shook his head, trying to banish the memories from his mind. These woods had been his safe haven as a child, the one place he was allowed to drop all masks and simply be a child. His hands roamed across the bark, remembering how Shisui had worked with him on his aim, how It—that man—had taught him shuriken wire tricks. Before he realized it, his feet were treading a slightly overgrown path, and he pushed branches aside as he walked. Sasuke wasn’t quite sure what he was doing here. He was an avenger, now, and had no time for childish sentiment. Yet he still followed the path, and eventually reached a small, rocky beach next to a tiny waterfall. A figure jumped off the ten foot cliff, laughing, and Sasuke readily dismissed it—Shisui was ‘practicing his cannonballs’ again, and any second now, he would emerge from the water, laughing. But the hair that emerged was blonde, not black—Shisui was gonegonegone notcomingback—and a pair of ocean-blue eyes stared into his own, frozen like deer in the headlights. Sasuke recognized the boy—who wouldn’t, after all—Uzumaki Naruto, dead-last of the Academy class above Sasuke’s.

“What are you doing here?” Sasuke bit out, slightly harsher than he meant to. “Uh… I’ll leave… sorry, Uchiha-san…” Sasuke’s head snapped up, and when had they broken eye contact? Uzumaki was hunched into himself, wading out of the water. Sasuke simply watched him go, curious about the blonde boy who reminded him so much of Cousin Shisui.

The next time Sasuke went to the market for groceries, he listened for rumors about Uzumaki. The blonde had reminded him of Shisui, bright and playful, and Sasuke had wanted to apologize for snapping at him. That had been Sasuke’s special place, and to see someone else there… it had hurt, to see someone else laughing and jumping, just like Shisui used to. Problem was, Sasuke had no idea where Uzumaki lived, and was never able to find him when classes ended for the day. Then, Sasuke heard something. “The Uzumaki boy… something ought to be done. It’s not right.” Two burly chunin a few stalls down were discussing Naruto—here was Sasuke’s chance. “It’s been allowed free reign too long. Someone should do something.” Sasuke was confused. Hadn’t they been talking about the blonde a moment earlier? “I heard some people are going to indulge in a few days. It’s been too long since the last fox hunt.” Sasuke turned, shaking his head. They must be talking about a hunting trip or something—they hadn’t mentioned Uzumaki, Sasuke had just imagined it.

A few days later, Uzumaki showed up for class, wincing at every movement. During lunch, Sasuke watched the older class out of the corner of his eye, and noticed a group of boys shoving Uzumaki around. He mentioned it to his teacher, but the teacher hadn’t done anything, and Sasuke could’ve sworn his teacher hissed something about “that fox brat’s getting what he deserves. help him? ha!” Sasuke kept an eye on Uzumaki from his seat by the window, watching his taijutsu instructor beat him into the dirt while his classmates snickered. Why did everyone seem to dislike Uzumaki, who radiated the same sunshine Shisui did? Everyone had loved Shisui, so why?

Two months later, Sasuke returned to the waterfall in the woods. It was late, the full moon casting fluid shadows on the waving trees, wind whispering in Sasuke’s ears. That’s when he heard it—sniffling. Sasuke crept forward, towards the tree line, intent on locating the sound’s source. He reached the edge of the trees, only to stop dead in his tracks. The blonde—Uzumaki—was back, sitting on the creek bed, sobbing. “Stupid… why did it have to be clones! Why!” Sasuke wracked his memory—ah. The graduation test had been that morning, and it seemed Uzumaki had failed, and was obviously distraught over it. Sasuke meant to slink away quietly, but snapped a twig in the process. Uzumaki turned, abruptly, raising a shaky finger to point at Sasuke. “You… you’re spying on me!” Uzumaki wiped his face on his sleeve, trying to dry the tear troughs on his cheeks. “I was… training! I was training! For I am Uzumaki Naruto, and I will be the next Hokage, dattebayo!”

Sasuke couldn’t help it—he cracked a smile, likely the first since the massacre. It was such a Shisui thing to say. Uzumaki seemed to think Sasuke was laughing at him, however. “I’ll show you! I’ll show everyone! They’ll have to respect me when I’m Hokage, dattebayo! Just watch!” Uzumaki turned tail and ran into the trees, leaving Sasuke alone with his thoughts and the crashing of a waterfall rushing in his ears.

When Sasuke started his final year of the Academy, he noticed that Uzumaki had joined his class, obviously hoping to pass this year. He surveyed the room, scanning for an empty seat that wasn’t next to a fangirl—there, next to Uzumaki. Slowly, Sasuke walked over to where Uzumaki was slouched over, seemingly asleep. “Is this seat taken?” Uzumaki’s head snapped up, and he gawked at Sasuke. “Uh… knock yourself out.” Uzumaki confused Sasuke, and Sasuke was determined to figure him out. The blonde reminded Sasuke painfully of Shisui, every action calling up another memory of Sasuke’s cousin. As time passed, however, the memories seemed happier, and the soul crushing ache Sasuke felt when he remembered Shisui was dulling. Shisui may be gone, Sasuke reasoned, but a piece of him was alive and well, and Sasuke would do everything in his power to protect the blonde who radiated Shisui’s happiness.


End file.
